<NO1><NO>Marin Clean Energy is now under pressure to deliver on its Marin-based renewables commitment. It touts the San Rafael airport's privately financed solar farm, but this project delivers less than one-fifth of 1 percent of Marin Clean Energy's annual energy. Marin Clean Energy hopes to construct 14 megawatts of its own solar, enough to handle 2percent of its annual load. Cost projections are upwards of $70 million. Agriculture-zoned land is in the crosshairs of planners.

Marin Clean Energy sold Marin on its commitment to "redirect" money from PG&E back to Marin County. After making that pledge, Marin Clean Energy exported millions of dollars. It entered into a multi-million dollar contract with a foreign oil company (Marin Clean Energy recently extended that contract), then executed a $190 million solar contract with the world's largest nuclear power company,<NO1><NO> Electricit?de France.

The promise of local jobs remains just that. Marin Clean Energy declines to divulge how many jobs it has created. Aside from its own staff, Marin Clean Energy appears to have produced no net-new full-time jobs, although it continues pounding that drum.

<NO1><NO>But Marin Clean Energy's ultimate failure is its self-serving priority. Its executive officer is paid $250,000 per year. Her two lieutenant-consultants make $320,000 and $240,000 a year. Consumers wonder why Marin Clean Energy feathers its own nest rather than providing the lowest possible prices (without regard to PG&E prices).

If Sonoma Clean Power wants to achieve its goals, it needs to sever <NO1><NO>all ties with Marin Clean Energy and rid itself of MCE's consultants. It needs to hire executives who are self-governing, without ties to Sonoma Clean Power's architects or Sonoma County Water Agency. Then <NO1><NO>it needs to come clean with municipalities and show prices before pressuring them to commit to a black box.

<NO1><NO>Marin Clean Energy is now under pressure to deliver on its Marin-based renewables commitment. It touts the San Rafael airport's privately financed solar farm, but this project delivers less than one-fifth of 1 percent of Marin Clean Energy's annual energy. Marin Clean Energy hopes to construct 14 megawatts of its own solar, enough to handle 2percent of its annual load. Cost projections are upwards of $70 million. Agriculture-zoned land is in the crosshairs of planners.

Marin Clean Energy sold Marin on its commitment to "redirect" money from PG&E back to Marin County. After making that pledge, Marin Clean Energy exported millions of dollars. It entered into a multi-million dollar contract with a foreign oil company (Marin Clean Energy recently extended that contract), then executed a $190 million solar contract with the world's largest nuclear power company,<NO1><NO> Electricit?de France.

The promise of local jobs remains just that. Marin Clean Energy declines to divulge how many jobs it has created. Aside from its own staff, Marin Clean Energy appears to have produced no net-new full-time jobs, although it continues pounding that drum.

<NO1><NO>But Marin Clean Energy's ultimate failure is its self-serving priority. Its executive officer is paid $250,000 per year. Her two lieutenant-consultants make $320,000 and $240,000 a year. Consumers wonder why Marin Clean Energy feathers its own nest rather than providing the lowest possible prices (without regard to PG&E prices).

If Sonoma Clean Power wants to achieve its goals, it needs to sever <NO1><NO>all ties with Marin Clean Energy and rid itself of MCE's consultants. It needs to hire executives who are self-governing, without ties to Sonoma Clean Power's architects or Sonoma County Water Agency. Then <NO1><NO>it needs to come clean with municipalities and show prices before pressuring them to commit to a black box.

Energy bidders can prepare three-year price-volume scenarios. Otherwise, using Marin Clean Energy' template only assures that Sonoma Clean Power will soon be wearing its own set of emperor clothes.

<i>Jim Phelps is heat transfer engineer serving the energy industry. He is a life-long Marin resident and operates a solar electric system at his home in Novato.</i>